Olga Vranov
Duchess Olga Ilyanova Vranov is one of the Founders of and member of the Council of Leaders of the Domain of Thorn and the founder of House Vranov. She serves as the Domain's first Grand Magister, and is responsible for establishing education and learning within the Domain as well as overseeing all things of an arcane nature. Married to Duke Ivan Medvyed, Olga has two sons, Corbin and Yagoriy and a daughter Yelena. Reputed to be a witch she is an avid scholar and archaeolinguist. She is perhaps one of the more controversial members of the Council partly due to an eccentric streak. History Born in Issia in the deep winter of 4686 AR to Captain Ilya Vranov of the King's Guard and Yelena (daughter of the Issian witch Zorya) who died in childbirth. Her father, was a proud man who traced his lineage directly from the Iobarians who settled the shores of Winterbreak Bay, was a staunch supporter of House Rogarvia. The Vranov fortunes waxed and ultimately waned alongside those of House Rogarvia. Olga spent her childhood being raised by her nanny and from an early age displayed a keen intellect so it was decided she was to be apprenticed to a wizard in Skywatch. However at the age of 12 everything changed. House Rogarvia disappeared and the supplanting House Surtova were quick to dismiss all previous Rogarvian supporters. Olga's father was relieved from duty and sought to turn his hand to new ventures but as a mercenary he could not see his new life as anything short of a disgrace and quickly fell to depression and alcohol. With no income one by one servants were dismissed, heirlooms sold, land auctioned off until Olga and her father were left with nothing. After five years of scraping by Captain Vranov died in his sleep. Alone and only seventeen Olga had no choice but to sell her home only to discover this barely covered the debts they had incurred. Homeless she was taken in by her old nanny. Unable to afford the high fees to become a wizard's apprentice she began learning the scraps of Old Lore her nanny knew. Before long Olga's natural affinity for the Craft had taught all she could learn and she became restless. Heading for New Stetven in the hope of work there she found that jobs never seemed to last long. It was only her clear ability and talent that kept her in work and when she could not find employment her folk remedies and charms would bring in a few coppers and lay food on her table. However, in New Stetven things took another change of direction shortly after securing a job in the grand library translating old potsherds and texts. Not long after that her fortunes changed and luck seemed to smile upon her. As her charms and cures began gaining a reputation for their effectiveness and potency it didn't take long for her to come to the attention of more important people and for her fortunes to change once again. After a run-in with a young noble Olga found herself accused of four counts of witchery from various press-ganged locals. Seeing nothing but a gruesome outcome if she were to stay Olga was forced to flee in the night for the city of Restov. However, in conservative Restov she found work even harder to come by, only managing to scrape by as a translator for occasional visiting merchants. About to move on once again she learned of an opportunity to gain a charter of exploration. After successfully investigating the Greenbelt region of the Stolen Lands and assisting to defeat the Staglord, Olga was enobled by Brevoy and became one of the Founders of The Domain of Thorn. Life in Thorn Over the next few years Olga worked hard at making Thorn a success and was responsible for the founding of The Magisters as well as implementing an educational system that was available to the poor not just the rich. Marrying Lord Ivan Medvyed, Olga found herself increasingly drawn to family commitments and this combined with her generosity and flamboyance won her the hearts of many of the citizens of the Domain. In the eyes of the Council of Leaders however she often found cynicism and suspicion, something that pains her greatly. Olga had been considering focusing on her family life shortly before the ill-fated trip to Dollock's Claim on the banks of Lake Silverstep. Investigating rumours of vanishings there Olga was slain by corrupted minions of the pit-fiend Nicoroux when she and her fellow Council members found themselves out-numbered and her body dragged into the depths of the lake. Although her corpse was finally retrieved attempts to resurrect her met with failure, seemingly due to a Pact she had struck in return for many of her powers. House Vranov were able to negotiate new terms in which Olga's soul would be returned after a period of 'repayment' to her patron. The resurrection magics did however allow the rescue of Olga's unborn second child, Yagoriy. The effect this might have had on the child and it's unusual premature birth are unknown. The period of repayment lasted only a few months before Olga's soul was mysteriously returned to her body. Recuperating in isolation upon Candlemere Isle, it wasn't until some months later, when Thorn was under threat from invaders from Fort Drelev that Olga revealed herself to the Council. Often outspoken in Council meetings Olga regularly pushed for cultural and educational projects and one of her greatest legacies was the founding of the Candlebriar Academy in Stagshelm, a centre of learning for the Domain. Olga has often commented to friends that she is intent on making Thorn a place were the poor would not be excluded from the chance to be educated as she had been in Brevoy. Olga also pushes to make Thorn the home of the largest and most definitive collection of ancient Cyclopean lore. Olga has three children by her husband Ivan; Corbin, Ygoriy and Yelena. Category:People